Filters (also referred to as filter elements) are used in systems to filter fluids for use by downstream systems. For instance, air filters are used to filter air prior to supplying the air to an internal combustion engine.
Filters are typically mounted in a filter housing that defines the fluid flow path in which the filter is situated. To prevent dirty fluid from bypassing filter media of the filter, a housing seal is often provided between the filter media and the housing. To be the most effective, it is important to provide a good seal between the seal arrangement and the filter media.
Depending on the application, the filter may take many different sizes or formed from numerous different filter materials. The complexity of the shape or the configuration of the filter can make it difficult to prevent leak paths between the seal arrangement and the filter media. This can be particularly true when numerous preformed components are required to be mounted to the filter media between the housing seal of the seal arrangement and the filter media.